UK SMBs are receiving inadequate customer support and
intelligence prior to making crucial technology buying decisions,
according to a study commissioned by Cisco.
According to the survey of 400 UK SMBs, nearly half of firms
(42%) feel left in the lurch after buying technology, due to
insufficient post-sales support or training.
The second largest complaint blighting IT buying, highlighted by
41% of the respondents, was the feeling of having enterprise scale
technology imposed on them, as opposed to products tailored to
their size.
The research highlighted a split in terms of "savvy" IT
procurement decision-making, and uninformed technology choices. A
large proportion of tech decision-makers conduct sound research in
magazines and journals (57%), seek advice from peers in other
companies (38%) and external business consultants (38%) prior to
buying IT.
However, 13% of respondents make their decisions based on gut
feeling. This trend was especially prevalent among very young
start-ups where over one in five selected technology on gut feeling
as opposed to specific research. Despite facing significant
barriers to their purchasing, the research reflected a high degree
of confidence in IT.
The companies credited technology with multiple benefits for
their businesses, including 77% experiencing improved customer
service, 76% experiencing improved productivity and 45% using
technology to compete on a level playing field with competitors.
Despite a great appreciation of the business benefits of IT, due to
a lack of resources 36% of SMBs are not able to employ an IT
manager with the knowledge to maximise their IT investment.